Bremer Stadtmusikanten (Town Musicians of Bremen Statue)

The bronze Bremer Stadtmusikanten statue stands against the western wall of the Rathaus, a compact composition just over two meters tall showing the donkey, dog, cat and rooster from the Brothers Grimm tale standing on each other's backs, poised as if about to bray a chorus to scare off robbers. Sculptor Gerhard Marcks, associated with the Bauhaus and later founder of the museum bearing his name on the nearby Wallanlagen, cast the piece in 1951 and it was installed in 1953, quickly becoming Bremen's most photographed landmark. Visitors spend most of their time here posing for photos and following the local custom of gripping the donkey's two front legs, which have been polished bright gold by decades of hands and are said to grant a wish or ensure a return visit to Bremen. The statue itself takes only a few minutes to see, but its position beside the Rathaus and Marktplatz means it is easily folded into a longer walk through the Altstadt. Crowds build steadily through the morning and peak around midday when tour groups pass through the square; arriving at opening hours or in the early evening after tour buses depart gives an unobstructed view and a shorter wait to touch the donkey's legs. Because it sits outdoors against the Rathaus wall, the statue is visible and lit at night as well, giving photographers a second, less crowded window after dark.